Project
Title
Exploiting Plant-Microbiomes Networks and Synthetic Communities to improve Crops Fitness
Acronym
CropBiomes
Start
02.10.2023
End
01.10.2026
Coordinating Institute
Catholic University of Porto
Coordinator
Conceicao Santos
Contact
Allocated to research program
Allocated to research program
Summary
Europe faces escalating challenges including more frequent droughts, heatwaves, and emerging diseases, prompting a shift from current agrochemical and water-dependent agricultural practices. CropBiomes leads this transition towards Sustainable Agriculture in alignment with the Green Deal and Farm-to-Fork strategy. It mobilizes European experts to advance knowledge on crop microbiomes, employing technologies like engineered microbiomes to bolster holobiomes resilience against drought and diseases. Viewing crops as Holobionts and exploring key taxa for community-scale networks is an uncharted area in agriculture. The initiative emphasizes balanced, transdisciplinary networking, considering gender, career stages, and international representation. Four Working Groups push boundaries, examining plant-microbiome diversity, distribution, eco-evolution, and interactions with stressors. CropBiomes also explores plant microbiomes for beneficial microorganisms and engineering techniques, fostering competitiveness in sustainable agriculture through collaboration with senior and early-stage researchers, engaging diverse stakeholders.
Funding
Europäische Union (EU)
Funding agency
European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research
Grant agreement number
CA22158
Funding framework
COST Actions